Smithsonian Affiliates are invited to join Smithsonian archives staffÂ in the 31-day blogathon in October!Â Raise awareness of your archival collections by sharing stories on your blog about who you are, what you do, and how you work.Â Show off the little-known gems in your collection, tell us about your research, or take us behind-the-scenes in your archives. Smithsonian archives staff willÂ also be writingÂ about what happens in their archives, describing projects they are working on, and telling stories about particular items in their collections.

Affiliate Montana Historical Society(MHS) has already signed up to participate in the blogathon.Â Their blog Montana History RevealedÂ will look back at the MHS Archivesâ€™ own history of preserving Montanaâ€™s historic documents.Â Â And during an evening program on Oct 7 called “Who Do We Think We Are?,” MHS Archives staff members will explore the dramatic and sometimes humorous history of the archives collection and the people who have cared for it.

Be sure to use â€œArchives Monthâ€ as a label or category in your blog so itâ€™s easily tagged. And stand out even more by Tweeting about your post using #archivesmonth.

Film archived at the Center for the History of Psychology (Akron, Ohio).

Our Smithsonian Archivists are eager to learn more about Affiliate archives, and what better way than telling your story. As affiliates of the Smithsonian Institution, youâ€™re our ambassadors in neighborhoods across the country, so letâ€™s spread the word about how fascinating your archival collections are!

About â€œOctober is American Archives Monthâ€Archives throughout the Smithsonian will be celebrating 2010’s American Archives Month with the first-even Smithsonian Archives Fair and a 31-day Blogathon. More information is on the â€œArchives Month at the Smithsonianâ€ web page. October is American Archives Month, has been developed to focus on the importance of the Smithsonianâ€™s vast collections of archival and historical records and to highlight the many individual Smithsonian archival units responsible for maintaining these rich and complex documentary resources.Â

About Smithsonian Institutionâ€™s archivesThe Smithsonian Institutionâ€™s archives preserve memories, tell stories and solve mysteries every day. The public may visit the Archivesâ€™ websites here, search their holdings at the Smithsonian Collections Search Center and read the Smithsonian Collections Blog here.

For further questions on how your blog can participate in the 31-day blogathon, contact Elizabeth Bugbee (202) 633-5304.